By Jake Tiernan: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says Rashedi Ellis wasn’t being truthful when he expressed interest in fighting him. Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) said had could have fought Ellis (24-0, 15 KOs) on Saturday’s card, but he wanted more money. Boots Ennis took that to mean that Rashedi simply wasn’t interested in fighting him.
Ennis is fighting for the vacant interim IBF welterweight title on Saturday night against Karen Chukhadzhian (21-0, 11 KOs) in the chief support bout on the Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia card on Showtime PPV.
Ellis is fighting for the IBF interim 147-lb belt in an off-TV fight against Roiman Villa (25-1, 24 KOs).
“I guess they wanted more money. You can respect that, though. It’s a boxing game. They try and get the most money they can. I don’t shade them for doing that. I understand the business,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Fighthype about Rashedi Ellis turning down a fight against him because he wanted more money.
“He talks like he really wants it, but the proof is in the pudding right there. He had the opportunity.
“I think the WBA put the order in or something like that,” said Boots Ennis when asked why Eimantas Stanionis is fighting Vergil Ortiz Jr, a DAZN fighter, next rather than him, despite the two both being with PBC.
“That’s the original fight [Stanionis] that I was really hoping to get and was trying to get for this card. Once we found out that wasn’t going to happen and they were giving us names, and we were taking whatever names they were giving us.
We wound up getting this opportunity [Karen Chukhadzhian] to fight for this IBF interim [147-lb title], so we took that. Rashedi was definitely one of the people, too, though. He [Ellis] said they didn’t pay him enough or whatever.
“Didn’t I just tell you that was cap? You’re not listening,” said Boots Ennis about Rashedi not being truthful about his interest in fighting him. You’re not listening. It’s cap. Like I said before, he’s a great fighter, though.
“I’m not taking nothing away from him. I understand that he’s trying to get more money fighting me. I understand it. I’m not shading him for that. The best of luck to him on Saturday night,” said Ennis about Rashedi.
